Choose candidates who want to work with children after AP year?

[Anonymous]

For my last two APs, I've only looked at candidates who had lots of experience with kids and who wanted a kid-related career in the future. This year I'm seeing a lot of candidates that have lots of experience but that are going to law school or business school or want to be translators or something totally unrelated to kids.

They seem to be very driven and definitely do like being with children, but I'm wondering if it matters that they are pursuing studies that are unrelated to Childcare. Incidentally, my first AP wanted to work in a foster home and did just that after her year. She was amazing. Our second said she wanted to be a teacher, but I now realize she's kind of aimless and just said teacher because it seemed like it would be fun. I don't think working with children is going to be her thing.

So my assumption didn't work for me this year anyway. Have your best APs necessarily been ones that have wanted child-related jobs after their year or not?

[Anonymous]

Our best APs have NOT been specifically interested in careers related to childcare, nor did they have childcare-specific training. (Although both of these best ones expressed a desire to perhaps explore something related to teaching or childcare in the future, after their AP experience showed them that they have a real talent for working with young children.)

Because the AP program is basically a "cultural exchange"/ "live abroad" opportunity for young people, I don't think that an interest in childcare or training for childcare is actually all that common (though some may write their applications to appear as though they have these things). An affinity for children - yes. Relevant experience - yes. An ability to learn to do the job while also enjoying a year abroad and new experiences - yes. I think someone who is driven, has demonstrated maturity, judgment and initiative, who has perhaps worked full-time at some point in her life, and shows at least some good, relevant experience with children the same age as yours is an excellent candidate, even if she/he has not studied child psychology and does not plan to go into childcare or teaching young children or what have you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our best APs have NOT been specifically interested in careers related to childcare, nor did they have childcare-specific training. (Although both of these best ones expressed a desire to perhaps explore something related to teaching or childcare in the future, after their AP experience showed them that they have a real talent for working with young children.)

Because the AP program is basically a "cultural exchange"/ "live abroad" opportunity for young people, I don't think that an interest in childcare or training for childcare is actually all that common (though some may write their applications to appear as though they have these things). An affinity for children - yes. Relevant experience - yes. An ability to learn to do the job while also enjoying a year abroad and new experiences - yes. I think someone who is driven, has demonstrated maturity, judgment and initiative, who has perhaps worked full-time at some point in her life, and shows at least some good, relevant experience with children the same age as yours is an excellent candidate, even if she/he has not studied child psychology and does not plan to go into childcare or teaching young children or what have you.

Thanks, PP. This makes total sense. I think I am going to look first and foremost for experience, of course, but then for ambition and drive (which my current au pair lacks big time).

[Anonymous]

I kind of disagree with the PP, but I think the issue may be partly determined by what your particular AP job looks like.

If you have older kids, and primarily need an AP to help with homework, shuttle kids to after-school activities, and be an adult presence in the house -- I bet there are plenty of good, organized APs (that may want to work in law, business, etc.) who can fill that role well.

I think if you have multiple (or even one?) small children in the house, where nonsensical crying over wearing shoes is a part of your life -- then EXTREME patience and a real love of children makes a better bet. Not to say you couldn't have successful APs of both types.

When I started in the AP program, my kids were 3 and 5. I then had a third child. Our best au pairs have all been people interested in doing child care/teaching long term. But I do think as my kids have gotten older (oldest are now 7 and 9) the job changes. Moreso now, I need someone who can "manage" things (drive, shuttle, get homework done). But there is less of a need for the unique kind of patience that is needed by toddlers and young kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I kind of disagree with the PP, but I think the issue may be partly determined by what your particular AP job looks like.

If you have older kids, and primarily need an AP to help with homework, shuttle kids to after-school activities, and be an adult presence in the house -- I bet there are plenty of good, organized APs (that may want to work in law, business, etc.) who can fill that role well.

I think if you have multiple (or even one?) small children in the house, where nonsensical crying over wearing shoes is a part of your life -- then EXTREME patience and a real love of children makes a better bet. Not to say you couldn't have successful APs of both types.

When I started in the AP program, my kids were 3 and 5. I then had a third child. Our best au pairs have all been people interested in doing child care/teaching long term. But I do think as my kids have gotten older (oldest are now 7 and 9) the job changes. Moreso now, I need someone who can "manage" things (drive, shuttle, get homework done). But there is less of a need for the unique kind of patience that is needed by toddlers and young kids.

I'm the PP you kind of disagree with, and I think you make a good point for sure. Anecdotally, however (i.e. from our personal experience with APs), our two greatest APs DID work a full 45 hours with small children, and they were not specially trained to work with small children, nor did they plan to go into childcare or teaching. Our very greatest AP was with us for two years, beginning when my children were 2 and an infant. She was amazing, had amazing patience, creativity, and genuinely loved our children and it shined through in everything she did. Our next best AP was with us for a year when my children were 3 and 5. She also has no interest in teaching or childcare as a career, but is also extremely patient and seems to have a special knack for understanding and working with the irrational beings that children of that age are.

The way I see it, there are many great mothers out there - many of whom become stay-at-home moms, spending all day with small children - who have no childcare experience or desire to work with children other than their own. They learned the hands-on childcare skills "on the job," and the instincts and personality traits that make good caregivers for very young children are either pre-possessed, or developed through hard work and determination.

I guess the point from our exchange is that you can get great APs no matter their experience or future career interests; but perhaps you have a greater chance of getting the best APs if you focus on those who have a demonstrated interest in childcare or teaching in addition to the qualities that make a great AP generally, so maybe your odds improve if that is your focus.

[Anonymous]

From my experience, just because someone has a stated interest or occupation working with kids doesn't make them good. We just transitioned out of an au pair situation with a pediatric nurse who had very little skill with small children. I'm not sure what age she would have been good with, but it was not toddlers. Clearly pediatric nurse is different than teaching (but my grandmother who was a first grade teacher for 25 years also is not great with kids...). I've grappled with the same question, and will continue in the future looking for ones where recommendations talk about how much the kids they have cared for love the person.